No need to hold future elections if perpetrators of rigging not apprehended: Imran
Saad Rafique criticises PTI for not having faith in Parliament and holding protests instead.
An Express News screengrab of Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi during a press conference.
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will only strengthen democracy in Pakistan and not weaken it, but protesting against election rigging is our right, PTI chairperson Imran Khan argued on Thursday outside the Supreme Court.
Imran was speaking to the media after the hearing of a case related to vote verification in four constituencies. The apex court ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to submit a reply in two weeks time regarding the concerns raised by PTI.
PTI had always claimed that last year’s general elections were rigged 11 and demanded vote verification of at least four constituencies to expose the extent of manipulation.
Imran said that by demanding inquiry into May 11 elections, PTI only wants to ensure next elections are not rigged.
“There will be no need to contest the next election if perpetrators of rigging are not apprehended,” the PTI chairperson said.
Speaking to the media later in the day, Khan said that there will be a jalsa at D-Chowk on May 11, not a dharna i.e. a sit-in.
Maligning the parliament
Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Thursday that the proposal to create a fact-finding committee to investigate rigging has been floated in Parliament.
Rafique criticised PTI for not having faith in the Parliament and holding protests instead of going through the formal procedures of registering complaints.
"You are trying to malign us with little or no evidence," said the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker.
The minister said that the fact-finding committee would look into four constituencies and if the PTI agrees to the creation of this fact-finding committee, they should withdraw their decision to hold a dharna, Rafique added.
"If your main intention is to malign the system, to cut the roots of the democracy, then we can only pray for you," he said, concluding his statement.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will only strengthen democracy in Pakistan and not weaken it, but protesting against election rigging is our right, PTI chairperson Imran Khan argued on Thursday outside the Supreme Court.
Imran was speaking to the media after the hearing of a case related to vote verification in four constituencies. The apex court ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to submit a reply in two weeks time regarding the concerns raised by PTI.
PTI had always claimed that last year’s general elections were rigged 11 and demanded vote verification of at least four constituencies to expose the extent of manipulation.
Imran said that by demanding inquiry into May 11 elections, PTI only wants to ensure next elections are not rigged.
“There will be no need to contest the next election if perpetrators of rigging are not apprehended,” the PTI chairperson said.
Speaking to the media later in the day, Khan said that there will be a jalsa at D-Chowk on May 11, not a dharna i.e. a sit-in.
Maligning the parliament
Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Thursday that the proposal to create a fact-finding committee to investigate rigging has been floated in Parliament.
Rafique criticised PTI for not having faith in the Parliament and holding protests instead of going through the formal procedures of registering complaints.
"You are trying to malign us with little or no evidence," said the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker.
The minister said that the fact-finding committee would look into four constituencies and if the PTI agrees to the creation of this fact-finding committee, they should withdraw their decision to hold a dharna, Rafique added.
"If your main intention is to malign the system, to cut the roots of the democracy, then we can only pray for you," he said, concluding his statement.